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For a morphism of sheaves $\varphi :\mathcal{F}\to \mathcal{G}$ of abelian groups or modules, the cokernel sheaf is the sheafification of the presheaf $U\mapsto \mathcal{G}(U)/\varphi (\mathcal{F}(U))$. Its stalk at $x$ is $\mathrm{coker}({\mathcal{F}}_x\to {\mathcal{G}}_x)$. The presheaf quotient itself need not satisfy the sheaf gluing axiom, which explains why a surjective morphism of sheaves need not be surjective on global sections.

For a continuous map $f:X\to Y$, an f-morphism from a sheaf on $Y$ to a sheaf on $X$ is a family of the displayed maps commuting with restrictions. It is equivalently a morphism of sheaves $\mathcal{G}\to f_{\ast }\mathcal{F}$. For each $x\in X$ it induces a map ${\mathcal{G}}_{f(x)}\to {\mathcal{F}}_x$ on stalks, by pulling back the neighbourhood representing a germ.

For a morphism of sheaves of abelian groups or modules, the kernel sheaf has sections $\ker (\mathcal{F}(U)\to \mathcal{G}(U))$. These already satisfy the sheaf gluing axiom. Its stalk at $x$ is the kernel of ${\mathcal{F}}_x\to {\mathcal{G}}_x$, since filtered colimits of modules preserve exactness. A sheaf morphism is injective exactly when its kernel sheaf is zero.

A locally ringed space is a topological space $X$ equipped with a sheaf of commutative rings ${\mathcal{O}}_X$ whose stalk ${\mathcal{O}}_{X,x}$ at every point is a local ring. A morphism of locally ringed spaces $(f,f^{\#}):(Y,{\mathcal{O}}_Y)\to (X,{\mathcal{O}}_X)$ consists of a continuous map $f:Y\to X$ and a morphism of sheaves of rings $f^{\#}:{\mathcal{O}}_X\to f_{\ast }{\mathcal{O}}_Y$, with every induced stalk map ${\mathcal{O}}_{X,f(y)}\to {\mathcal{O}}_{Y,y}$ a local homomorphism: the inverse image of the target maximal ideal is the source maximal ideal. Here $f_{\ast }{\mathcal{O}}_Y$ is the direct image sheaf, with sections ${\mathcal{O}}_Y(f^{-1}U)$ on $U$.

Let $\varphi :A\to B$ be a ring homomorphism. Define the map between the spectra of rings byThe inverse image is a prime ideal, and $f^{-1}(D(a))=D(\varphi (a))$. Thus $f$ is a continuous map, because the principal open subsets form a basis. On these principal open subsets, define the structure sheaf map using the localizationsThese maps commute with restrictions and consequently give a morphism of sheaves. At $\mathfrak{q}$, putting $\mathfrak{p}={\varphi }^{-1}\mathfrak{q}$, the stalk map is $A_{\mathfrak{p}}\to B_{\mathfrak{q}}$. An element $b/s$ belongs to its inverse image of $\mathfrak{q}{B}_{\mathfrak{q}}$ exactly when $b\in \mathfrak{p}$, so this is a local homomorphism. We have constructed a morphism of locally ringed spaces.

Conversely, take a morphism of locally ringed spaces $f:\mathrm{Spec}B\to \mathrm{Spec}A$. Its map on global sections gives a ring homomorphismLocality of the stalk map implies, for every $a\in A$,Hence the point map must be $\mathfrak{q}\mapsto {\varphi }^{-1}\mathfrak{q}$. On $D(a)$, its structure sheaf map must send $b/1$ to $\varphi (b)/1$ and the inverse of $a$ to the inverse of $\varphi (a)$. Thus it is precisely the localization map constructed above. Agreement on this basis proves agreement of the morphisms of sheaves. In particular, the inducing ring homomorphism exists and is unique.

If $\varphi$ is surjective, write $B=A/I$. The correspondence between prime ideals of $A/I$ and prime ideals of $A$ containing $I$ identifies $\mathrm{Spec}B$ homeomorphically with the closed subset $V(I)$: the principal open subsets correspond on both sides. Moreover, the stalk maps are the surjections $A_{\mathfrak{p}}\to (A/I{)}_{\mathfrak{p}/I}$, so ${\mathcal{O}}_X\to f_{\ast }{\mathcal{O}}_Y$ is surjective.

For the converse, it is important not to assume that global sections preserve an arbitrary surjection of sheaves. Here the affine module-sheaf equivalence supplies the extra information: on every $D(a)$,Thus $f_{\ast }{\mathcal{O}}_Y$ is the quasi-coherent sheaf associated with the $A$-module $B$, and the cokernel sheaf of ${\mathcal{O}}_X\to f_{\ast }{\mathcal{O}}_Y$ is associated with the module $C=\mathrm{coker}(A\to B)$, since localization of a module is exact. Surjectivity of the morphism of sheaves gives $C_{\mathfrak{p}}=0$ for every prime ideal $\mathfrak{p}$. This implies $C=0$: if $0\ne c\in C$, its proper annihilator lies in a maximal ideal $\mathfrak{m}$, and then $c/1\ne 0$ in $C_{\mathfrak{m}}$. Therefore $A\to B$ is surjective. We have proved the closed immersion criterion for affine schemes:

An $A$-module homomorphism $h:M\to N$ induces, by localization of a module, compatible mapson all principal open subsets $D(a)$. These glue to an ${\mathcal{O}}_X$-linear morphism of sheaves $\tilde{h}:\tilde{M}\to \tilde{N}$.

Conversely, taking global sections of an ${\mathcal{O}}_X$-linear morphism of sheaves gives an $A$-module homomorphism $h:M\to N$, since $\Gamma (X,\tilde{M})=M$ and $\Gamma (X,\tilde{N})=N$. On $D(a)$, compatibility with restriction determines the image of $m/1$, and ${\mathcal{O}}_X$-linearity determines the image of $a^{-r}m$. It must be $h(m)/a^r$. Thus the morphism of sheaves is uniquely recovered from $h$. Both constructions preserve addition and composition, proving the affine module-sheaf equivalence on morphisms:No finite-generation assumption is used.

Take the projective line $X={\mathbb{P}}_k^1$ and the coherent sheaves $\mathcal{F}={\mathcal{O}}_X$ and $\mathcal{G}={\mathcal{O}}_X(-1)$, where the latter is a twisting sheaf on projective space. Both are line bundles, so each stalk is a free rank-one ${\mathcal{O}}_{X,x}$-module and therefore ${\mathcal{F}}_x\simeq {\mathcal{G}}_x$ at every point.

They are nevertheless not isomorphic. On the standard charts with coordinates $t$ and $t^{-1}$, choose frames $e_0,e_1$ of $\mathcal{O}(-1)$ with $e_1=t^{-1}{e}_0$. A global section would give polynomials $a(t)$ and $b(t^{-1})$ satisfyingThe left side has only nonnegative powers of $t$, and the right side only strictly negative powers. Thus both vanish, giving $\Gamma (X,\mathcal{O}(-1))=0$. For the structure sheaf, the corresponding equality is $a(t)=b(t^{-1})$, whose solutions are precisely the constants. HenceA morphism of sheaves which is an isomorphism on all stalks would be an isomorphism; this example only asserts the existence of separate stalk isomorphisms, not that they come from one morphism of sheaves.

Take the affine scheme $X={\mathbb{A}}_k^1$, its function field $K=k(t)$, and the constant sheaf $\mathcal{K}$ with value $K$. By Question 4(ii), $\mathcal{K}$ is a flasque sheaf. At the two distinct closed rational points $p_0=0$ and $p_1=1$, let $S_0,S_1$ be skyscraper sheaves with value $K$: on an open subset $V$, $S_i(V)=K$ if $p_i\in V$ and is zero otherwise. Both are flasque sheaves.

There is a natural morphism of sheaveswhich sends a constant rational function to the same element in every summand present on the open subset. At $p_i$, its stalk map is the identity $K\to K$, and at any other point the target stalk is zero. Thus $\rho$ is a surjection of sheaves, although it is not surjective on global sections. Put $\mathcal{F}=\ker \rho$.

This can even be an example of sheaves of ${\mathcal{O}}_X$-modules: let regular functions act on each copy of $K$ by multiplication after embedding them in $K$. At the closed points this action is multiplication by a rational function, not evaluation at the point. With these actions, $\rho$ is ${\mathcal{O}}_X$-linear.

The exact sequence $0\to \mathcal{F}\to \mathcal{K}\to S_0\oplus S_1\to 0$, together with flasque acyclicity, givesHence $H^0(X,\mathcal{F})=0$ and $H^1(X,\mathcal{F})=K^2/\Delta K\simeq K\ne 0$. In contrast, use the one-member affine open cover $\mathcal{U}=\{X\}$. Its alternating Čech cochain complex has no positive-degree terms, so ${\check{H}}^1(\mathcal{U},\mathcal{F})=0$. We have the explicit discrepancyThe sheaf $\mathcal{F}$ is not a quasi-coherent sheaf, as also follows from its nonzero higher sheaf cohomology on an affine scheme. Thus this example does not contradict the acyclic cover theorem for quasi-coherent sheaves on affine covers.

On the principal open subscheme $D(a)\subseteq \mathrm{Spec}A$, the induced morphism of sheaves is the ring homomorphismIf $\alpha$ is injective, this map is injective by exactness of localization: it is the localization of the injective $A$-module map $A\to B$. Explicitly, if the displayed fraction vanishes, some power of $\alpha (a)$ annihilates $\alpha (b)$; injectivity gives $a^{m}b=0$, so the original fraction also vanishes. The principal opens form an open basis, so the kernel sheaf is zero on a basis and hence zero everywhere. Conversely, an injective morphism of sheaves induces an injection on global sections. On the whole affine scheme these sections are $A\to B$, exactly $\alpha$. Thus